Effect of High ß-glucan Barley on Postprandial Blood Glucose and Insulin Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Patients.

The aim of our study was to investigate whether high ß-glucan-containing barley (7.2 g per 100 g) improves postprandial plasma glucose levels and suppresses postprandial insulin levels during a meal tolerance test in type 2 diabetic patients. A meal tolerance test (500 kcal) was conducted using two types of test meals: a test meal with white rice (WR) alone (WR diet) and a test meal with WR mixed with 50% barley (BR diet) as staple food. The side dish was the same in the both meals. The changes in plasma glucose and serum C-peptide immunoreactivity (CPR) levels for 180 minutes after ingestion of the test meals were compared. Ten patients with type 2 diabetes (age 52.5 ± 15.1 years, and 7 males and 3 females) were included in this study. The mean HbA1c level and body mass index were 8.8 ± 1.4%, and 29.7 ± 4.5 kg/m2, respectively. Plasma glucose levels after ingestion of the WR diet or BR diet peaked at 60 minutes, which showed no significant differences between the two types of test meals. However, the incremental area under the curve (IAUC) of plasma glucose levels after ingestion of BR diet was significantly lower than that of WR diet. The serum CPR levels at 180 min and their IAUC over 180 minutes after ingestion of BR diet were significantly lower than those of WR diet. Conclusion: Increase in postprandial plasma glucose and insulin levels was suppressed by mixing high-ß-glucan barley with WR in type 2 diabetic patients.

Effect of High ß-glucan Barley on Postprandial Blood Glucose Levels in Subjects with Normal Glucose Tolerance: Assessment by Meal Tolerance Test and Continuous Glucose Monitoring System.

The effect of white rice (WR) mixed with high ß-glucan-containing barley at 50% on improvement of postprandial blood glucose levels was assessed by meal tolerance test and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in 15 healthy subjects with normal glucose tolerance (age 31.6 ± 12.9 years old, 4 males and 11 females). A meal tolerance test (500 kcal) was conducted using 2 types of test meals: a test meal only with WR and a test meal WR mixed 50% barley, and the side dish was the same in both meals. Blood glucose levels of the subjects 180 minutes after ingestion of the test meals were compared. In addition, a CGM device was attached to the subjects for 2 days when the WR or barley as a staple food was provided 3 times a day for consecutive days, and the daily variation of glucose was investigated. The glucose levels 30 minutes after dietary loads and the area under the blood concentration-time curve over 180 minutes were significantly decreased in the barley consumption group. In CGM, 24-hour mean blood glucose and 24-hour standard deviation of blood glucose were also significantly decreased after ingestion of the barley. Postprandial glucose level elevation was suppressed by mixing high-ß-glucan barley with WR in subjects with normal glucose tolerance.

Organization of spin- and redox-labile metal centers into Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films.

New sal2(trien) ligands that contain alkoxy substituents of various length in meta position of the phenolate entities were coordinated to electronically and magnetically active iron(III) and cobalt(III) centers. The electrochemical and spectroscopic properties of these amphiphilic complexes are virtually unaffected upon alteration of the alkoxy substituents, thus providing a system in which the physical behavior and the metal-centered chemical activity can be tailored independently. The amphiphilic character has been exploited for preparing Langmuir monolayers at the air-water interface and for constructing Langmuir-Blodgett films, hence allowing for hierarchical assembling of electronically and magnetically active systems. While Langmuir films were stable, transfer onto solid supports was limited, which restricted the magnetic analysis of the Langmuir-Blodgett assemblies.

Perfectly straight nanowires of fullerenes bearing long alkyl chains on graphite.

Fullerene derivatives bearing long alkyl chains epitaxially adsorb on the basal plane of graphite forming well-ordered one-dimensional lamellae. Within the lamellae, the C60 moieties are organized in a zigzag-type fashion. The ordering is mainly governed by the substitution pattern and chain length of the alkyl chains. The electrochemical activity of the C60 groups is fully maintained in the surface-confined assemblies.

Highly ordered thin films prepared with octabutoxy copper phthalocyanine complexes.

Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of copper (II) 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octabutoxyphthalocyanine, nCuPc(OBu)(8), (non-peripheral substitution) and copper (II) 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octabutoxyphthalocyanine, pCuPc(OBu)(8), (peripheral substitution), were fabricated and characterized by optical spectroscopy and scanning probe microscopy. The LB films were transferred onto hydrophilic substrates by vertical dipping. Although they posses relatively short polar substituents both compounds form smooth, uniform, dense, and highly stable LB monolayers composed of linear arrays of cofacial oligomers. The long range discotic assemblies of LB and spun cast films of pCuPc(OBu)(8) and nCuPc(OBu)(8) posses physical and chemical properties favorable for molecular electronic device application.